June 15th, 2007 by China Business Success Stories
Ron Cune experienced China for the first time during a fantastic holiday. A course in Chinese, an exchange project, and a round-trip further he was devoted to the country. Upon receiving a financial bonus he took his chances: he moved to China. Currently he is staying in a pleasant office in Beijing and his company DragonDancers has reached lightning speed. The philosophy behind the DragonDancers brand name: the Chinese dragon dances through perfect coordination, collaboration and harmony between those that let it move. Cune explains how a Western company can equally move smoothly in the Land of the Dragon.
“For the Chinese, ‘face’ is very important. Loss of face is disastrous for them, so you have to communicate and act tactfully.” Cune found this out the hard way: “The thing I did wrong in my first job was Read the rest of “Chinese Freedom of Movement” or post a comment
June 7th, 2007 by China Business Success Stories
Talent&Pro is a young and flexible Operational Consultancy agency that focuses on banks and insurance companies. It is an agency that, apart from providing high-quality services towards clients, is strong regarding the personal development and career opportunities of its own employees as well. Those employed at Talent&Pro are offered a two-year contract, with a one-off extension to five years, during which they receive all the space to prepare and shape their plans for the future. Basically just like Marco Hoekstra did it. With many years’ experience in banking and finance, he started out at Talent&Pro as operational manager in the Netherlands 7 years ago. Currently, with over 400 employees, Marco is focusing his attention on Talent&Pro China.
A born developer, Marco has great interest in fast economic development. After the Netherlands, Germany and the UK were conquered, it was the right moment to realize a new Talent&Pro branch in the Far East. “A place where the market is developing at top speed, where the hectic pace of the improving economy requires new strategies all the time, and where young, highly qualified individuals have a passion for internationalization…” Shanghai, China. Read the rest of “Plenty of Space in Shanghai” or post a comment
June 1st, 2007 by China Business Success Stories
On his first visit to China in 2004, Alexander de Nerée liked what he saw. So when he was asked to set up De Nerée Advocates in Hong Kong, it did not take him long to decide.
“I am really fascinated by China, but I also feel fortunate to be living in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is really ‘China-light’. Not so much fun, but healthier for you. With the fairly Westernised attitude of the Hong Kong people and the relatively high standard of English, the business climate for foreigners is better here then in most parts of China. It’s like Switzerland in Asia. Everything is well-organised and clean.”
So there is not much work to do for lawyers in Hong Kong then? “Quite the opposite. Many businesses choose Hong Kong as their base to start operations in Asia. An obvious choice: all the leading banks, insurers and accountants are around the corner. Hong Kong also plays an important role because of its favourable tax regulations and the excellent legal infrastructure. It is actually a sort of ‘home away from home’. A safe haven to start if you are looking to do business in mainland China. Where of course other legal concepts and basic business rules apply. In that last category, when clients ask about do’s and don’ts I generally advise them to Read the rest of “Lawyer’s advice on legal self-protection in China” or post a comment
May 23rd, 2007 by China Business Success Stories
China is a magnet for businesses. But Chris Cooijmans, General Manager of Mol Logistics, discovered at first hand that opposites do not necessarily attract. Cooijmans travelled on a trade mission to China with a Camber of Commerce delegation. In his fact-finding tour of the export market, he learned that there is no guarantee of meeting the right partners.
Cooijmans wants Mol Logistics, part of the MOL Group, to become the gateway to Europe for the Chinese market. But success is still some way off. “The Chinese entrepreneurs that I met were mainly interested in finding investors. For the time being, they prefer to keep control over the business themselves.” Read the rest of “Logistical Highway to China” or post a comment
May 15th, 2007 by China Business Success Stories
An increasing number of professionals offer services for companies who have their mind set on China. These translators, interpreters, webmasters, trainers, lawyers and other consultants often join forces in umbrella networks, aiming to offer entrepreneurs wide ranging support. China Success Stories met up with Lianne Baaij, chair of such a network (Guanxi.nu) to talk about China, communication and Guanxi.
Read the rest of “China, communication and Guanxi” or post a comment
